Rheumatoid Arthritis

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Fast Facts: An Easy-to-Read Series of Publications for the Public

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects the joints. It causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. If one knee or hand has rheumatoid arthritis, usually the other does too. This disease often occurs in more than one joint and can affect any joint in the body. People with this disease may feel sick and tired, and they sometimes get fevers.

Some people have mild or moderate forms of the disease with times when the symptoms get worse and times when they get better. Others have a severe form of the disease that can last for many years or a lifetime. This form of the disease can cause serious joint damage.

Who Gets Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Anyone can get this disease, though it occurs more often in women. Rheumatoid arthritis often starts in middle age and is most common in older people. But children and young adults can also get it.

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Doctors don't know the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis. They know that with this arthritis, a person's immune system attacks his or her own body tissues. Researchers are learning many things about why and how this happens. Things that may cause rheumatoid arthritis are:

Genes (passed from parent to child)

Environment

Hormones.

How Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed?

People can go to a family doctor or rheumatologist to be diagnosed. A rheumatologist is a doctor who helps people with problems in the joints, bones, and muscles. Rheumatoid arthritis can be hard to diagnose because:

How Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated?

Doctors have many ways to treat this disease. The goals of treatment are to:

Take away pain

Reduce swelling

Slow down or stop joint damage

Help people feel better

Help people stay active.

Treatment can include patient education, self-management programs, and support groups that help people learn about:

Treatments

How to exercise and relax

How to talk with their doctor

Problem solving.

These programs help people:

Learn about the disease

Reduce pain

Cope with physical issues and emotions

Feel more control over the disease

Build confidence

Lead full and active lives.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis may involve:

Lifestyle changes

Medicine

Surgery

Regular doctor visits

Alternative therapies.

Lifestyle Changes

Here are some ways to take care of yourself:

Keep a good balance between rest and exercise

Take care of your joints

Lower your stress

Eat a healthy diet.

Medicine

Most people with rheumatoid arthritis take medicine. Drugs can be used for pain relief, to reduce swelling, and to stop the disease from getting worse. What a doctor prescribes depends on:

The person's general health

How serious the rheumatoid arthritis is

How serious the rheumatoid arthritis may become

How long the person will take the drug

How well the drug works

Possible side effects.

Surgery

There are many kinds of surgery for people with severe joint damage. Surgery is used to:

Reduce pain

Help a joint work better

Help people be able to do daily activities.

Surgery is not for everyone. Talk about the option with your doctor.

Regular Doctor Visits

Regular medical care is important so doctors can:

See if the disease gets worse

See if drugs are helping

Look for drug side effects

Change treatment when needed.

Your care may include blood, urine, and other lab tests and x rays.

Alternative Therapies

Special diets, vitamins, and other alternative therapies are sometimes suggested to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Some therapies help people reduce stress. Many of these treatments are not harmful, but they may not be well tested or have any real benefits.

People should talk with their doctor before starting an alternative therapy. If the doctor feels the therapy might help and isn't harmful, it can become part of regular care.

What Research Is Being Done on Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Research is being done in many areas:

Immune systems

Genes

Families with rheumatoid arthritis

New drugs or drug combinations

Rheumatoid arthritis and disability

Preventing related health problems

Quality of life for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

For More Information on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Related Conditions:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Information ClearinghouseNational Institutes of Health

If you need more information about available resources in your
language or another language, please visit our website or contact
the NIAMS Information Clearinghouse at NIAMSinfo@mail.nih.gov.

The information in this publication was summarized in easy-to-read format from information in a more detailed NIAMS publication. To order Rheumatoid Arthritis Handout on Health full-text version, please contact NIAMS using the contact information above. To view the complete text or to order online, visit www.niams.nih.gov.

For Your Information

This publication contains information about medications used to treat the health condition discussed here. When this publication was developed, we included the most up-to-date (accurate) information available. Occasionally, new information on medication is released.

For updates and for any questions about any medications you are taking, please contact